


Occult Asylum

by zulija



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Mass Effect - Freeform, Thane Krios - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-02-28 16:20:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2738978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zulija/pseuds/zulija
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Following our assassin Thane Krios in the final months of his life. An unexpected event wakes him up from his battle sleep and now all he wants is to live. With her. He found purpose again when he least expected it. Rated M for a reason. Thane & OC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was a warm autumn day in Cambridge, warmer than usual this time of the the year. The few trees that stretched across the lush green courtyard offered little cover from the heat, and the slight breeze was like a hot breath instead of a refreshing wind.

It was the first day of the new college year in the University of Cambridge. The numerous students from all across the galaxy left the building in a hurry, a group of them running towards the large oak tree to find sanctuary from the heat. The marvelous tree stood like a symbol in front of the university, its spectacular size indicating that it was hundreds of years old. The other students dispersed and either went home or to the large library.

Holding her small, brown, leather bag over her shoulder, Alex walked down the entry stairs, her heeled sandals clicking on the stone walkway that adorned the university's entrance as she made her way towards the waiting car. She walked past a group of students that would either stare at her in awe and admiration, or give her a quick, envious once over and grumble something before looking away.

She was used to the attention; at a height of five feet eight, she had long legs that she loved to show. Her light blue shirt, that had a v-cut neckline in the front, was neatly tucked into her jean skirt. Older male students let out wolf whistles and cat-called after her as she walked past them. The older girls looked at her with eyes burning with envy, to which Alex just smiled, amused that she affected them so much.

Alex never felt the need to show off; her mere appearance was enough to silence a room and to get the attention of the most handsome men around. She knew her qualities, which made her appear vain to other people, but it wasn't vanity to know her own strengths.

Her friends admired the way she walked, talked and behaved, and they accepted her the way she was mostly because they were alike. Alex didn't count many people as her friends, and she considered only two to be her best friends, with whom she shared her secrets and thoughts. Others tried to squeeze themselves into their small circle, but nobody else was good enough to join them.

Running her hand through her blond hair, she sped up a little before she came to the waiting car and her chauffeur, Nicholas. The older man was dressed in a white shirt that was neatly tucked in his black trousers, his grey hair was styled back and hidden beneath the hat he wore. He bowed his head to her in greeting as he opened the door and held it open. Alex sat down on the rear black leather seats and seconds later, they were driving away.

"How was your day, Miss Adams?" asked Nicholas, his attention on the road as he politely started a conversation.

Alex was chewing on her gum and looking out the window as she replied, "The usual stuff. Nothing to report."

The rest of the ride was silent. Alex kept her gaze on the streets, enjoying the silence and thinking about the day's events. Alex was excited for the start of the new college year; she had been bored during the summer break, and she couldn't wait to get back to continuing her education. She was studying law, and dreamed about becoming one of the best lawyers in the galaxy.

The thought of being someone of great importance always excited her. Her ambition pushed her higher every year, and every year she was among the best students. She'd always wanted to be a lawyer, even when she was little. The lawyers in the numerous crime scene movies she watched always fascinated her and she was determined to become one.

Alex was wrapped up in her thoughts as she imagined herself carrying the title  _"Best lawyer on Earth"_  before she spotted her home not too far in the distance.

Her home was an architectural wonder. It looked similar to the Victorian mansions from the 19th century, though it was three times as big. Two large fountains were on either side of the stone road that led to the main door. Two statues of angels with swords in their hands stood guard at the black entry gate. Her family spared no expense when it came to security; her mother was an art collector, and she proudly presented her collections in the hallways of their large home. Paintings of ancient artists and statues lined the walls and corners throughout the mansion; almost everything that her mother had collected throughout the years was displayed for everyone to see. Only the rarest, most valuable pieces were stored in the basement that had the best security system in the galaxy.

Alex loved everything about her home, especially the huge pool they had in the wonderful backyard. The garden, that her mother alone tended to, reminded her of the mythological garden of Eden; though its main attraction was Michelangelo's David placed directly in the middle of it, surrounded by bushes of red roses and little fountains that glowed in the night.

The statue always caught Alex's breath; even centuries later, the statue was a work of wonder. Today's sculptors tried to mimic Michelangelo's technique, but they never succeeded in creating an exact copy. Her mother had paid a fortune to have the original piece placed in the middle of their garden.

Nicholas stretched his arm out of the window and slid the key through the terminal on the gate before it opened. They drove into the heavenly estate, once they were pulled up to the main door, Alex stepped out of the car and was greeted with their housemaid, Jeanne.

" _Bonjour, Mademoiselle_ Alex," said the French maid as she bowed her head in greeting.

Alex gave her a smile before she entered the mansion, walking straight towards the spacious kitchen. The kitchen was white, tiny golden lines that weren't even visible from afar were engraved on the cabinet's doors. The tiles on the walls and floor were also white, making the room almost glow in the light of day. A large, dark wooden table stretched itself through the middle of the kitchen. Seated at the table were her mother and father, having a casual conversation before her father, Michael, spotted his daughter walking in.

"Ah, my wonderful daughter," he greeted. Alex walked to each of them and placed a quick kiss on their cheeks before taking her own seat.

"How was your first day, my dear?" asked her mother, Vivienne, as she sliced the lasagna on her plate.

Alex took her own piece of lasagna as she answered, "It's not my  _first_ day. I met the same people, went to the same class. Nothing exciting happened." annoyed that her mother was prodding.

"Ah, college," said her mother with a happy sigh, "Do you remember that time, honey?"

Michael chuckled before he sipped his wine. Gently placing the glass back on the table, he allowed the memories of his youth to emerge. "Of course. Your mother and I went to Cambridge and met near the large oak tree."

"It was love at first sight," finished Vivienne, before placing a quick kiss on her husband's lips.

Alex rolled her eyes at the small display of affection. She heard the story of how they'd met hundreds of times, and they never seemed to get tired talking about it, and reminding their captive audience just how perfect they were.

"Any new students in your class?" asked her mother waggling her eyebrows, a teasing note to her voice.

Alex watched her from underneath her eyelashes as she answered, "No, mother, no new students and the boys are the same as last year, and the year before." before she turned her attention back to the lasagna on her plate. It bothered her that her mother was always asking about boys and if she'd met someone new. Alex had other things to focus on, like studying for the humanities quiz her professor already had prepared.

"Ah, Alexandra, always so focused on learning," stated her father with a small laugh, knowing that he would hit a nerve.

Alex narrowed her eyes at her parents as she stabbed the fork a little too roughly into her lasagna, "Sorry, father, I don't plan to marry anytime soon."

Her father chuckled in amusement, before his gaze softened and he stated lovingly, "Whatever you decide, my dear, we will always support you."

"That's right. You are our little angel, and you are aunt Annie's moonpie, and uncle George's bunny." her mother added softly, though it was meant to tease her. Alex noticed the playfully teasing gleam in her mother's eyes.

Rolling her eyes in slight embarrassment, Alex muttered, "Whatever." before she ate the rest of her lasagna quickly. She pushed the chair back and looked from her father to her mother and back before she explained, "If you'll excuse me, I need to go change my clothes and get ready for my self-defense course." Not sparing her parents another glance, Alex started for the door, hoping to get out before any more embarrassing facts of her youth could leave her mouth.

"Alex," her mother called and pulled Alex to a stop before she could get past the doorway. She turned back to face her parents, letting out a sharp breath.

"Yes, mother?"

"There is something we need to discuss with you later. It's important." Her mother said before she turned her attention to the lasagna on her plate.

Alex rolled her eyes and left the kitchen, taking the stairs to the second floor that would lead to her room. The dark wooden paneling accompanied her throughout the stairwell, the huge dark red curtains spread open and allowing the light of day to illuminate the dark stairwell. Her room was just on the end of the hallway, and when she opened the door, she inhaled deeply and smiled.

Jeanne took care of the entire household and she did her job with perfection. Fresh flowers were placed in the vase on Alex's nightstand, fresh white sheets neatly placed on her bed. She could smell and almost taste the freshness of her room, which brought a content smile on her face. She lowered the bag on the bed and made her way towards the wardrobe. Alex owned her own bathroom and a huge balcony, which faced the beautiful garden in the backyard.

Her clothes and shoes were neatly placed in the wardrobe, thanks to her slightly meticulous nature. She couldn't stand the chaos and mess of disarranged clothes, so she always made sure that her clothes were in the right places. Alex was a perfectionist, but she wasn't obsessed with it; not as much others thought she was.

Sighing happily, she took her workout tights and sports bra, and placed them neatly in the sports bag before she changed into comfortable jeans, a shirt and sneakers. Taking the bag from her king sized bed, she left the room and said byes to her parents before she took the car and left for the gym.

She took the self-defense course after she had survived a terrible accident one year ago. Her body still shuddered at the mere thought of that horrid evening. People who aimed for easy money had kidnapped her and demanded a huge ransom from her father. The police and federal agents did their best to catch the culprits, but a few of them had managed to escape. Though it was a horrible thing to experience, she didn't allow herself to crumble under the weight of it; Alex was a fighter and what didn't kill her made her only stronger.

To prevent that from happening again, she decided to sign up for a self-defense course in the nearby gym. Her trainer, Erik, taught her everything she needed to know in order to defend herself. Alex wouldn't allow the same thing to happen again; she dared the kidnappers to attack her. This time, she would know how to defend herself.

Several minutes later, she pulled over and turned off the car before she took her bag and stepped out. This training was a perfect opportunity to blow off some steam and the stress she accumulated during the day.

 

####

 

Exactly two hours later, Alex was on her way back home, her sore muscles complaining about the additional strain of driving the car. She cursed inwardly for not telling Nicholas to drive her to the gym and back. The training was intense and tired her out. She couldn't wait to get home to take a long, hot, bubble bath and drink her favorite wine.

Luckily, the gym wasn't too far from her home, and she breathed out a sigh of relief when she finally reached the huge entry gate. Minutes later, she was greeted by Jeanne who opened the front door for her. Alex made a beeline for the stairwell to the second floor before she heard her father's voice calling for her. She hung her head and took a deep breath before she turned around and left for the living room. She noticed her mother and father sitting on the couch the moment she stepped through the doorway, drinking their tea and watching TV.

"Hello mother, father," said Alex politely as she sat down on the armchair facing them. "What is it?"

Her father turned off the TV before he stood up and walked around the couch to stand behind her mother. Vivienne crossed her hands in her lap as she smiled softly at their daughter. "Your father and I have been talking," she started softly, but then her smile fell a little. "It's been exactly one year since that terrible accident."

Swallowing hard, Alex eyes flickered from her mother to father and back. "Yes," she agreed quickly, "but I'm well and there is no need to bring that evening up again."

"Alexandra, my dear, you have to understand that that was a terrible experience for me and your mother. Not to forget the horrors you've been through." confessed Michael as he leaned his hands on Vivienne's shoulders. "We almost lost our only daughter."

Vivienne swallowed a hard as she forced a smile on her face, her eyes glinting with tears. "You're our angel, sweety, we couldn't imagine our life without you."

"Which forced us to come to a conclusion," stated her father before he started pacing again, his head lowered a little and his expression twisted in concern.

Alex narrowed her eyes as she followed her father's movements, anticipating whatever they had decided without her. "Your mother and I have talked and considered this for a long time," Alex felt anxious as she nervously readjusted in her seat. She didn't like the sound of her father's voice. He sounded so worried but authoritative that she didn't know what to expect of him.

Stopping behind the couch again, Michael took a deep breath before he said, "We decided to hire someone for your safety."

Baffled, her eyes ran from one parent to the other, her mind not able to comprehend their statement for a moment. Shaking her head free of the trance like state, she shut her mouth and narrowed her eyes at her parents as she finally found her voice to speak. "Someone for my safety?" she asked, shocked about the revelation of their plan. "You mean something like a personal guard?"

Michael nodded slowly, "Yes. With him, you can continue to live your life as if that evening never happened."

She couldn't believe that her parents were suggesting such a thing. She felt as though they had lost all faith in her, and now wanted to hire someone who would keep an eye on her and where she went.

Shocked by her father's suggestion, she rebuffed the idea immediately. "No!" stated Alex as she shot up from the armchair, her hands clenched into tight fists. "You want someone to keep an eye on me as if I am incapable of watching over myself! I'm old enough to know how to take care of myself!"

Michael rebutted her claim, "If you could watch over yourself none of that would have happened!" Right now, she was too angry to hear the desperation in her father's voice.

Alex snorted as she defended her claim, now feeling as though she were a lawyer defending her client. "They were four of them and they put a bag on my head! They attacked me from behind before they dragged me into some kind of van!" The memories of the kidnappers invaded her mind, reminding her of the fear she had felt at that moment when she couldn't see anything, but hear everything.

"Exactly!" confirmed her father as he rounded the couch, stepping a little closer to Alex. "Even if you learn how to defend yourself there is no way you could do anything if that were to happen again! They would overrun you and take you regardless of your skills!"

Raising her eyebrows, she pressed a finger to her chest and shouted, "So now I am incompetent as well?!" Her parents trust in her meant everything to her, and now she found out that they didn't trust her one bit.

Vivienne's voice interrupted their shouting as she stood up from the couch. "Nobody said that, my love. We just want you to be safe." Alex caught the sight of desperation on her mother's aged features. Still she couldn't shake off her anger and ignore their lack of trust.

"I AM safe!" retorted Alex, boring her furious gaze into her mother. "I don't need someone babysitting me and stalking me like I'm a mentally dysfunctional person! Besides, the police caught them; they wouldn't dare to go after me again!" She was convinced that the other kidnappers had learned their lesson and that they wouldn't dare to harm her again. Much to her irritation, her parents believed and feared the exact opposite.

"Some of them managed to escape," said her father, his voice surprisingly calm as he tried to reason with his stubborn daughter. "Maybe they would want revenge. Who knows what they will do to you if they catch you again!"

Ignoring her father's fears completely, Alex took her bag from the floor before she bore her angry eyes into him. "They  **won't** catch me, so there's no need for you to hire some wanna-be guard to protect me if I can just as well protect myself."

Her father's expression suddenly shifted, all tolerance gone from his eyes and voice as he harshly warned, "This isn't up for debate, Alexandra." She wanted to cut him off and say what was on her mind, but he was faster to speak. "We have already hired the guard. He will escort you home tomorrow after your classes are finished."

Alex grit her teeth in anger, a tick in her jaw as she glared at her parents in disbelief. She felt as though they'd just stolen her privacy; the one thing that meant the world to Alex. The mere thought of someone following her every step, like a shadow, day in and day out, made her blood boil in anger.

Stepping closer to the couch, Alex's undivided attention was on her father as she warned through gritted teeth, "If you indeed hired him, I will make his life a living hell; that I can promise you."

"Alex-" Without waiting for her father to finish, she left the living room and stalked up the stairwell, furious. She understood that they were worried for her safety, but she was perfectly fine and she could take care of herself.

The idea of being forced to accept someone's protection was unacceptable. Alex never wanted to depend on someone other than herself, and now she would be forced to spend her days with someone who would follow her everywhere. She couldn't bear the thought of it, let alone live with whoever was to be her guard.

When she reached her room, she slammed the door shut and slammed her bag on the bed before she stepped into the on-suite bathroom. Even after she had eased herself into the steaming hot water, she couldn't tame the anger that now burned through her system like a lake of lava. Their decision to hire a guard to keep her safe hurt her pride immensely; she didn't want to come across as a damsel in distress that didn't know how to take care of herself. She didn't want to appear weak, and having someone watching out for her made her appear very weak.

She eased her head into the water as embarrassment flooded over her at the image of how the so-called bodyguard will escort her to the university and back; a show for everyone to see. Alex wished the ground would open and swallow her at the thought of the others seeing her walking around with a bodyguard. What a ridiculous idea.

 

####

 

The mansion was unlike anything he had ever seen before. He admired the statues of warrior angels that stood guard at the grand, black gate, as if guarding their sanctuary from the demons of the night. Beyond the gate led the white stone road towards the entrance of the mansion. The two fountains at each side of the road shot water in many different patterns and heights into the air.

Thane had been to many places across the galaxy, saw many homes, palaces and buildings that were considered architectural wonders. This mansion topped everything. Its elegance and beauty were unmatched, unlike anything the galaxy could offer. Asari architecture was breathtaking, but Thane always found their buildings to be cold. Human architecture was different, it was more welcoming and heartwarming, and now that he looked at the mansion, he knew why. He was very eager to see the inside of the huge mansion and see if its interior was as elegant as the exterior.

The grand gate opened and he stepped further in, relishing in the calm atmosphere and the soothing sounds of the fountains around him. At the door waited, who he guessed was, the housemaid. As he came closer, the housemaid politely bowed her head to him in greeting before she straightened her back.

"Sere Krios?" when Thane nodded, the maid smiled and pointed with her hand for him to come in. "Mister and Madame Adams are awaiting you."

"Thank you," he said politely and bowed his head to the maid, to which she blushed slightly before she nervously led him inside. The interior was even more breathtaking than the exterior. Paintings framed in exquisite old-fashioned frames lined the walls, statues of ancient times placed in each corner. Thane quickly scanned over the pieces of art that were in his line of sight, before he followed Jeanne to what he guessed was the living room.

The grandeur of the living room was as he thought it would be; the furniture was made of dark wood, same as the shelves, the walls and the coffee table placed in front of the huge, white couch. Dark red, floor length curtains cascaded down the large windows that allowed the light into the room. The bookcases were filled with numerous paper books, a few family pictures were placed on the many shelves on the walls, showing a happy blond haired girl and her parents.

A particular picture caught his attention. On the picture were Mister and Madame Adams, a castle in their background. Between them, a little girl with golden blond hair stood with her arms crossed, pouting. She was adorable and Thane couldn't help but smile softly at the image of a younger Alexandra.

Before he had accepted the contract, he dug out everything there was to know about Alexandra Adams, asking his contacts for anything he should be aware of. He was impressed when he scanned over the files on his data pad, showing him everything that could be of importance to him to keep her safe. He couldn't get a clear picture of her just yet so he was eager to meet the woman who was the top student at Earth's most demanding college.

The maid announced them, and both Mister and Madame Adams turned their attention from the books they were reading to her, before their eyes moved to him.

"Ah, Mister Krios," said Mister Adams in greeting as he crossed the distance between them, reaching his hand out to Thane. "How was the journey?"

Thane shook the older man's hand and smiled as he replied, "It was fine, thank you."

Madame Adams came to stand next to her husband and he leaned his arm around her waist lovingly before he introduced her to Thane. "Mister Krios, this is my wife Madame Vivienne Adams."

The older, brown haired woman reached her hand out to Thane, a beaming smile on her face. "I am so glad to finally meet you, Mister Krios." before he took her offered hand and gave it a quick, firm shake. "My husband speaks fondly of you."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Madame Adams," he returned politely before Mister Adams led them to the large couch.

They all sat down and the maid appeared with a tray in her hands. She placed the cups and teapot down on the dark coffee table before Madame Adams politely dismissed her. Once they were alone, both Madame and Mister Adams turned their attentions to their guest.

"We are extremely grateful that you agreed to take this job, Mister Krios. It means a lot to us to have one of the best guarding our daughter," stated Mister Adams, sounding utterly grateful.

Thane nodded in silent agreement as he admired the shape and color of the dark wooden coffee table. "I'm sure my husband has filled you in on the details," started Madame Vivienne, pulling Thane's gaze back to her. "We don't know if the kidnappers will strike again, but we don't want to take any chances. We want her to be safe."

"I understand," said Thane with a soft smile on his face. "I assure you, your daughter is in good hands."

"Good," stated Mister Adams with a sigh of relief. "Is there something you are not satisfied with in terms of the contract?"

Thane considered for only a second before he replied, "No, I am pleased with the terms."

"Please notify us if that changes in the future," stated Madame Adams. "We will happily consider your demands."

Mister Adams sighed as he glanced at the clock on the wall, "Well, you should be on your way, Mister Krios. Alexandra's classes will finish in about half an hour."

Thane pushed himself of the couch, and excused himself before he left the mansion. The family's chauffeur, Nicholas, greeted him at the entrance of the garage and handed him the keys of the car. He thanked the older man before he took the driver's seat. Minutes later, he drove away, and anticipated meeting Alexandra Adams with excitement. He knew only what he needed to know in order to protect her and didn't know the person behind the files. He was eager to meet her and see if she was as sharp as he thought she was.


	2. Chapter 2

"Psst, Alex," whispered Sarah from the seat next to her. Alex averted her attention from the chalkboard and professor to look at her, letting out a sigh. The look of genuine worry was written across Sarah's face when she asked, "You look like something's bothering you. What happened?"

 Alex turned her attention back to the words written on the chalkboard. No matter how noisy or annoying Sarah sometimes was, the brown haired woman was a true friend, always willing to listen to what Alex had to say.

Her long time friend was right though; Alex was worried. The conversation she had with her parents plagued her at night and didn't allow her to sleep, which was rubbing off on her attitude. The more she thought about it, the more she wished that her parents saw reason, and that they would drop the idea. She was a strong and capable woman, and hiring someone for her safety was a low blow to her pride. Though, as much as she wanted to talk to Sarah about it, she couldn't; Sarah would bombard her with questions and Alex didn't have the nerve to answer them right now.

Alex refused to answer Sarah's question and decided to keep her attention on the chalkboard, but focusing became harder when Sarah gently poked her pencil into Alex's upper arm. Annoyed at her friend's persistence, Alex whipped her head to Sarah and bore her narrowed gaze into her. "Will you stop already?!"

Sarah met her irritation with a smile, happy that she finally got Alex's attention. "What's bothering you?" she asked as she cradled her chin in both her palms, ready to listen to whatever Alex had to say.

Just as Alex was about to answer, the professor cleared his throat loudly, warning her for the first and the last time as he focused his displeased gaze on her. Alex let out a long breath through her nose, before she whispered to Sarah, "I'll tell you later." after the professor had turned around to the chalkboard.

The class finished not long after, and finally they were heading out of the university. Sarah and their other friend, Natalie, were walking next to Alex, talking to each other and directing questions at her from time to time, which Alex mostly ignored. Her mind was too wrapped up on the conversation from last night as her friends tugged at her elbows for her to speed up and keep up with their steps. Alex could barely hear what they were talking about, let alone keep walking next to them. Suddenly they pulled her roughly to a stop and Alex turned her head to look at Sarah.

"What the hell-?" Sarah was staring at something in front of them but Alex was too irritated to take a look.

"Oh... my... God." stated Sarah, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open a little.

"What?" wondered Alex as she looked from one friend to the other, hoping for answers, but both girls kept their enraptured gazes pointed forward as if they saw an unnatural spectacle happening right in front of them.

Natalie pointed with her head at something in front of them before wondering, "Who's the sexy drell standing by your car?"

"What drell-" started Alex, only to be cut off when her eyes fell on the greenish drell leaned on the passengers door of the car, dressed in a black leather jacket and dark blue jeans, wearing dark red sunglasses. She averted her eyes to the car to make sure it was hers. Her now angry eyes moved back from the car to the drell, her blood boiling with fury and betrayal.

"Alex," started Sarah, sounding both surprised and shocked, but also excited. "Did you forget to tell your friends that you have a boyfriend?!"

Alex ignored her and instead clenched her hands into tight fists before she strode over to the drell that was still oblivious of their presence. Her heels clicked on the road, announcing her presence and alerting him before she even came close to him.

Stopping a few feet away from him, she held her ground and bore her angry gaze into him as he unfolded his arms from his chest and lowered them at his sides.

Moving his attention to her, she could hear the cautious surprise in his voice when he asked, "Miss Adams?"

Alex glared at the polite drell that called out her name. She lifted her head and met his gaze stubbornly. She was tall, but he was at least several inches taller than her. Even in her heels he outmatched her height. "Who's asking?" she bit out, her muscles tense and her forced politeness slowly slipping away.

The drell straightened his spine and bowed his head in a courtly fashion as he introduced himself. "I am Thane Krios."

Alex glared at the drell and gave him one quick once over before she rested her eyes on his. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and quirked an eyebrow at him, giving him a look that said 'So what'. The drell wasn't the least bit intimidated by her presence which irritated her even more.

When the silence stretched, the drell calmly added, "Your parents hired me to look out for your safety."

Her jaw fell as her wide eyes looked at him, her heart dropped into her stomach in cold realization. She could barely make out the gasp that escaped Sarah in shock before she said, "Oh my God, Alex, are you in danger? Did something happen to you?! Why-"

Not able to listen to her friend's rambling, she silenced her with an annoyed, "Sarah!" as she turned her head around to bore her narrowed eyes into her. She held Sarah's gaze for a second, giving her friend a look that said that she would take care of it, before she returned her attention to the drell.

Alex wouldn't shy away from anything to show him just how displeased she was with the situation. "Look, Mister Krios, I appreciate your kindness and willingness to help my parents, but the truth is; they're overreacting."

Alex forced a polite smile on her face, wanting nothing more than to bomb the man back to the stone age. She could barely contain her anger at her parents' betrayal. "I'm fine and I'm in no kind of danger, so I don't need your protection. Now, if you would just go home, and do whatever it is you do in your free time, and let me live my life in peace; I would really appreciate that."

Without waiting for his answer, she moved past him towards the driver's door, ready to enter and to drive home alone. Just when she was about to pull the door open, his voice sounded from the other end of the car as he turned to face her. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Adams."

She froze in place as she slowly lifted her eyes from the car door to him.  _The nerve of that drell!_   _He thinks he can command me around like a clueless child,_ she thought as she grit her teeth, again. Watching him as he moved closer to her, her anger intensified when he explained, "Your parents strictly ordered me to escort you home and to watch over you. Letting you drive the car alone would violate my contract. I'm sorry, Miss Adams, but you are my responsibility now."

"Let me set things straight," she said, before taking a deep breath as her anger and annoyance over the situation grew. "I am  _not_ your responsibility. I'mtelling you to leave me alone because I am in no danger of anything or anyone!" she growled, slowly losing what little patience she had left.

The drell didn't back off and stubbornly met her gaze as he rebutted, "Your father clearly stated that I am to be your escort and to keep you safe. By any means necessary."

Quirking an eyebrow, she wondered, "Oh really?" He nodded silently in answer before she spoke again. "So if I'm refusing to leave with you, will you sedate me to fulfill your contract?"

His expression didn't change when he admitted, "Yes, if it means fulfilling the contract."

Alex couldn't help but stare at the drell who openly admitted he would sedate her if she didn't play by his rules. Giving him another quick once over, Alex had to admit that he didn't look like he was kidding; in fact, to her it seemed he was provoking her on purpose just to prove the severity of his claim.

Not able to listen to him for a moment longer, she growled, "Fine!" before she moved from the driver's door. "Just so you know, I don't talk to strangers."

The amusement rang in his voice as he said, "Yet here you are talking to a stranger for the past five minutes."

The drell moved and opened the rear door for her, politely waiting for her to enter as a smirk coiled his lips. Alex glared at him for a moment longer before she sat down on the back seat, crossing her arms stubbornly as the drell closed the door. Sarah and Natalie waved in goodbye, but Alex didn't even acknowledge them. She was too pissed to do anything other than pout and fight the urge to hit the drell with all her might.

Alexandra fought hard to keep her breathing normal, but the closer they got home the more eager she became to question her parents and to demand that they send the drell back to where he came from. She was furious because they hadn't listened to anything she'd said. She would have a word with her father as soon as she arrived home.

Alex lifted her eyes to the rearview mirror when she realized the drell was awfully silent; his expression didn't give away any emotion which made it hard for her to gauge him. Alexandra was good at reading people and gauging their motives, but she never met someone who masked their emotions so well that nothing gave them away.

She stared at his reflection on the rearview mirror as he was focused on the road. He kept his sunglasses on and she couldn't see his eyes. After a moment her anger faded and she realized that he was the first drell she had ever seen in her life. She knew what they looked like, but she never met one in person. The only alien species that went to her college here were asari and salarian.

Looking away before he caught her staring at him, she looked out of the window and was happy that her mansion was in line of sight. Minutes later, Thane parked the car near the entrance, and the moment the car came to a stop she threw the door open and got out as fast as she could, completely ignoring the drell who'd gotten out to of the vehicle a moment too late to open the door for her.

"I can open my own doors," she growled, before striding past him towards the front door. Jeanne greeted her at the entrance but Alex ignored her politeness and harshly asked, "Where are my parents?!"

The maid pointed to the living room and Alex didn't waste any time. She almost ran into the living room and was glad her mother and father were sitting on the couch, together.

"We need to talk!" she demanded as she stopped in front of them, blocking their view of the television, her hands clenched into fists and shaking from her suppressed outrage.

"Hello my dear," greeted her mother as she put down the cup of tea she was drinking on the coffee table before she turned off the tv. Leaning back into the couch, she asked, "Did something happen?"

Alex snorted, "You damn well know what happened!" Her father's expression darkened in irritation to her behavior and tone. Just then, the drell entered the living room and Alex pointed her hand at him. "What is this?!"

Her mother and father looked at Thane then back at their daughter. A look of confusion and uncertainty flashed on her mother's features as she explained, "Dear, that is a drell. I thought you knew that."

Alex took a deep, calming breath through her nose. She felt the anger bubbling like lava inside of her, ready to explode. "I know that! I mean what is this?!" she pointed with her hand to him then at herself and back. "Why did he pick me up?! Where is Nicholas?"

"Nicholas is in the kitchen, I believe. We hired Mister Krios to be your personal guard," stated her father nonchalantly. "We told you this wasn't up for debate. You are in danger as long as the rest of the criminals aren't captured."

She stared in wide eyed shock at her father, rendering her speechless for a while before she shook her head and bit back. "You can't decide something like that without me! What if he's one of the very same criminals?!" shouted Alex, too angry to care about anything, especially the drell standing near the entrance of the living room.

"He's the best at what he does, darling," assured her father. "There's no need for you to worry now. Mister Krios will protect you."

"Protect me from what?" she growled. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not in danger?!" her voice was low, but it gradually increased until she was yelling at them.

Her father sighed and said, "You can repeat it all you want, but Mister Krios stays at your side until the ones responsible for your kidnapping are captured. That is my final word, Alex. Nothing you say will change my mind."

Her entire body shook from the effort of trying to suppress her anger as she glared at her parents. Nostrils flaring and eyes wide with anger, Alex pointed a finger at her father before promising, "This isn't over!" before she walked towards the entrance of the living room, completely ignoring the drell.

"Miss Adams?" sounded the drell's voice, causing her to whip around and point her angry eyes at him.

"What?!"

He moved slowly and brought out her bag. Alex snatched her bag from his hand before she growled, "I'm going to my room!" When she locked her eyes on his, she shouted, "Alone!" before spinning on her heel and leaving everyone behind. She needed to be alone and think of a way to get rid of the drell.  
  


####  
  


The young woman hurried past him like a hurricane, the fragrance of her perfume lingering in the air just before it disappeared. He inhaled, immediately recognizing the scent of roses. Thane allowed a tiny smile to curl the edges of his lips. Alex was a beautiful woman, but her attitude was as thorny as a rose.  _As beautiful as a rose and with the thorns to match,_  he thought. Thane was amused by the comparison and had to fight hard not to chuckle.

"We apologize for her behavior, Mister Krios," started Vivienne, pulling him from his thoughts. "Alex can be harsh, but she is a good girl. Although, after that performance, I think you'll find that rather hard to believe."

Thane smiled at the older woman and shook his head, assuring her that he wasn't offended. "She has fire, I have to admit."

"Oh that she has," agreed Michael with a chuckle as he stood up from the couch and went closer to Thane. "Thank you, Mister Krios, for accepting this job. It means a great deal to us that you keep our daughter safe."

Thane bowed his head in respect to the older man. "It is my pleasure to help you any way I can."

"Mister Krios, why don't you have a cup of tea with us?" asked Vivienne with a smile on her face as her dark brown eyes locked on his. Thane considered her offer for a while and quickly decided that there was no harm in getting to know them. That way, he could maybe find out more about Alex and the accident that happened one year ago.

Just as he had hoped for, Madame Vivienne started to talk about the accident after they'd questioned him about his homeworld, Kahje. It felt strange to talk about his home. He hadn't been to Kahje in years, and talking about it made him feel a bit nostalgic.

"It was horrible," started Vivienne as she stared at the coffee table, unable to bear Thane's sympathetic gaze. She sat next to her husband on the couch as she relieved the horrible evening. "I barely remember anything that happened because I was in shock, but I remember the officer that walked up to me and said that Alex has been kidnapped. That moment, I felt as if someone ripped my heart out."

"Then came the federal agents," continued Michael as he rubbed his wife's upper arm comfortingly. "Everything else happened in the next twenty-four hours and they got her out of the hellhole."

Thane was silent for a while as he thought about everything they said before he furrowed his brows in concern and asked cautiously, "Where did they take her?" He felt bad for asking because he knew it would cause unpleasant memories to resurface, but he was curious. He wanted to know what they all went through in order to understand them better.

Michael leaned forward and took his cup of tea from the coffee table. He took a long sip from the tea before he answered the question with a heavy exhale. "There is an old factory at the far end of town. They kept her in the basement the whole day and night before the police managed to find her. Even the Alliance was involved in her rescue because they thought the kidnappers were batarian terrorists."

Thane let the silence stretch a little. He tried to imagine how traumatizing it must've been for Alexandra to experience all this.

"And your daughter?" asked Thane cautiously.

Michael smiled weakly as he kept his eyes locked with the drell's. "She was always strong willed and a fighter, even before the accident. She recovered pretty well and fast, but..." Michael stopped his sentence and exhaled heavily as he shook his head, his expression tight with worry. It didn't need to be said how painful it was for him to talk about this.

Thane was curious; he wanted to hear the end of that sentence yet didn't want to overstep his boundaries. "But?" he said, letting the older man decide whether he would continue or not.

Taking a deep breath, Michael exhaled slowly, taking his time before he finished. "But I feel that she is just keeping up a strong facade. Maybe that's not the case, maybe I'm worrying too much for nothing, but I can't help it. I feel as if she's still suffering from the trauma but she pretends that she's fine."

Thane could understand Michael's worry. From what he'd gathered, Alex locked her feelings away from everyone so it was impossible for them to know if she was truly alright. "You are just worried for your daughter, Mister Adams," assured Thane, allowing a small smile to curl his lips. "I don't know your daughter very well, but from what I've seen she is as strong willed as you've described."

"Yes, she is," said Michael with a chuckle. Glancing at the large old clock on the wall, Michael pushed himself up from the couch with a sigh. "Look at the time," he said, before turning to his wife. "We both have to get up early, dear."

Vivienne chuckled, all sadness and worry banned from her face and took her husband's offered hand before he pulled her up from the couch. Thane stood up as well, smiling at the sight of them happily taking care of each other.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Madame and Mister Adams. If you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way." Said Thane as he realized that it was already late.

Both Vivienne and Michael stared at him in wonder before Vivienne spoke with a smile on her face and a wave of her hand. "Oh don't be such as stranger. Do you see the size of this mansion? We have plenty of spare rooms and we would be happy if you stayed here. Right, darling?"

Michael nodded to his wife before turning his attention to the drell. "Of course. You can stay here and save yourself the trouble of getting here early every morning."

Thane considered the offer and, as alluring as it sounded, it would be wrong of him to accept just like that. "What about my things?"

Vivienne smiled before she answered, "Nicholas will get them in the morning before you and Alex come back from the university."

Thane smiled; there was nothing wrong with him being here. That way, he could watch over Alex all the time. "Thank you, Madame and Mister Adams."

"Jeanne!" called Vivienne, and seconds later the maid arrived. "Show Mister Krios to one of the spare rooms on the second floor, close to Alexandra's room. He will stay with us until further notice."

The young maid bowed her head and motioned for Thane to follow her. Thanking Mister and Madame Adams one more time for their hospitality, he followed the maid to the second floor of the mansion. The art displayed amazed him, he was too caught up in staring at the various paintings and was only partially aware of the maid in front of him, leading him to his temporary residence.

He had heard that Madame Adams had a habit of collecting art, but he never thought he would see such an amazing collection displayed throughout the mansion, free for everyone to see. He had to admit, he was eager to see the rest of it and wondered if Madame Adams would show him her most valuable pieces personally.

Thane almost bumped into the maid when she stopped abruptly, pulling him out of his thoughts and amazement of his surroundings. The maid pulled out the key and unlocked the door. He glanced around one more time and spotted a door not too far from them. His curiosity grew, and when the maid opened the door, he couldn't help but ask, "What is in that room?"

"That is  _Mademoiselle's_ Adams room. Madame Vivienne ordered you be as close to her as possible." replied the maid politely before she entered the room.

Thane agreed; if someone decided to attack the mansion, he could be with her in no time and get her safely out of here, though he doubted it would come to that. The maid opened the door and lead him inside. He scanned over the room quickly and reveled in its simplicity and beauty.

"Is everything to your liking, Mister Krios?" asked the maid politely as Thane stepped further into the room.

Smiling, he turned to the maid and thanked her with a polite, "Yes, thank you."

The maid bowed her head and said her goodnights before she left the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He went to the large windows and smiled when he spotted Madame Adam's beautiful garden nearby. Thane took in its beauty and let his thoughts wander free. So far, he hadn't had any trouble with Alexandra, but he had a feeling that would change soon.

Alexandra was impulsive, stubborn and hotheaded, just as he'd heard she would be. He knew that she wouldn't just accept him that easily and that gaining her trust would be an even greater challenge, but Thane would do his best to fulfill his part of the contract. It should be his last one before he passed away and met Irikah and Kolyat across the sea.

The content smile he had on his lips fell completely when thoughts of Irikah and Kolyat invaded his mind, the pit he'd felt since their passing only grew with each passing day for the past ten years. He missed them greatly. So much time had passed since their funeral, yet he couldn't move on. Losing both of them was like losing part of himself. Thane had died the day the hanar had lowered their bodies into the deep oceans of Kahje, leaving behind a husk that was destined to kill the ones responsible for their deaths.

Sighing, he walked away from the windows and towards the bed as tears started to cloud his vision. The lump in his throat made it hard for him to breathe and his heart was heavy with loneliness, but he'd learned to live with this heart shattering pain.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and let out a long breath, staring at the floor as he tried to calm down, to direct his thoughts away from them. Thinking about them brought him only pain and took away his concentration, and right now, he needed his focus because a human life depended on him.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning sun bombarded into her room, waking her even before the holo clock on the nightstand started to beep its irritating melody. She pulled up the blanket to cover her eyes from the intruding light before the alarm clock banished all sleep from her. Alex silenced the clock then stretched her arms above her head, yawning as she did so, before she made her way to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed the sleep from her eyes before she went downstairs, barely managing to keep her eyes open.

She found her way directly for the kitchen and made a beeline for the coffee machine, just like every morning, the bitter-sweet scent invading her senses even before she entered the kitchen. Her eyes were barely open and she yawned as she went to take the cup from the cupboard. She filled it with the warm beverage, yawning again while she tried to tame her ruffled hair. She didn't get much sleep last night because she tried to calm the upheaval of emotions that sent her heart racing with anger.

She wasn't a weak little thing that needed protection from someone her family barely knew. Everything about the drell made her suspicious of him, and she couldn't understand how her parents could trust him so blindly. He could easily be one of the kidnappers, and Alex could be in trouble without anyone suspecting anything. She didn't know anything about him, and that was what kept her awake last night. She hated the unknown, and the drell fit the very definition to her.

Inhaling deeply, she relished in the warm, slightly bitter aroma of the coffee and closed her eyes before she took a sip. She was a smart woman; she would come up with a plan to get rid of him. She only needed a couple of days to think clearly without him near her. The drell disrupted her thoughts with his mere presence, which was all the more reason to get rid of him.

Placing the cup on the counter, she hung her head in deep thought and tried to wipe her mind clean from her frustration so she could think clearly. Somehow, her thoughts always went back to the annoying drell.

"Morning, Miss Adams."

She whipped around, startled, and her wide eyes fell on the drell sitting at the kitchen island with a smile on his face, a cup of tea cradled between his palms.

"Jesus!" her hands were quick as she readjusted the silky white nightgown to hide her flesh from him. The drell looked away nonchalantly as he took a sip from his tea, his eyes closed. Alex forced deep, calming breaths as she glared at the drell and tried to understand how she hadn't noticed him sitting there the whole time.

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she asked harshly, "How long were you sitting there?" the cup of coffee on the counter behind her left forgotten.

"The whole time," he answered calmly. "You didn't notice me when you entered the kitchen."

She blinked, irritated that he wasn't intimidated by her anger the least bit. People were usually intimidated by her mere presence, but the drell met her anger with his calm and polite manner, showing her that her attitude had no effect on him.

"Jeanne makes good coffee," he said with a small smile on his face, interrupting her train of thought. "The smell is bit bitter for my tastes, but still, very tasteful."

Alex's eyes narrowed further as she turned her back to him and picked up the cup of coffee, ignoring the drell's small talk. She wasn't interested in talking with him or becoming his friend; all she wanted was for him to leave her alone. She took another long sip from her coffee, relishing in its aroma and its taste that soothed her oncoming headache a little.

She looked at the tiny, old-fashioned clock on the counter and she wondered why the drell was here so early in the morning. "What are you doing up so early, anyway?" she wondered as she turned back to look at him suspiciously.

Before the drell could answer, her mother entered the kitchen, already fully dressed and styled. She gave both of them a quick once over before greeting them with a cheery and heartwarming, "Good morning, everyone." She walked over to Alex and placed a peck on her daughter's cheek before she turned back to the drell, inquiring, "Mister Krios, I hope you have slept well?"

"Woah, woah, woah, wait a minute," Alex interrupted whatever the drell was about to answer. She looked from her mother to the drell and back before asking, "He slept here?" The thought of him sleeping in her home was preposterous and she desperately hoped that she had misinterpreted their conversation.

Her mother smiled and nodded before answering, "Yes, my dear." as if it was the most common thing. "We hired Mister Krios to protect you. It would be logical he stays as close to you as possible and not miles away from you."

To say Alex was shocked would be an understatement; it took her a while to gather her thoughts before she could argue back. "So he's sleeping here from now on? And living here with us?" Vivienne wanted to answer, but Alex raised her hands and cut her off. "You know what? I don't care. Do what you want. I'll wait in the car when I'm done."

She took one larger sip from her coffee, drinking as much as she could, before she slammed the cup back on the counter. She strode out of the kitchen and ignored both her mother and the drell that was ruining her life. Alex made her way upstairs to her room to change and to get her things.

The thought of that drell sleeping in her house made her furious. Her parents invited him, a stranger, to reside within the safe walls of their home. She couldn't and would never understand it; it was beyond every logical explanation. Yes, they hired him to keep her safe, but was that truly reason enough for them to allow him to live here? She couldn't come up with a reasonable enough explanation other than that her parents had lost their minds.

Even here where she thought she would be left alone, her privacy and peace were threatened by the drell. He would follow her everywhere and keep a close eye on her wherever she went. It was a nightmare, but she knew she needed to live with it until she came up with a plan to get rid of him.

When she was done dressing, she looked down on the small calendar on her desk and noticed she had a shopping trip planned with Sarah and Natalie after today's classes. It made her wonder, and hope, that the drell would stay back and let her have her fun with her friends.

Minutes later, she went downstairs to say her goodbyes to her parents. She stopped at the doorway of the kitchen and her expression narrowed when she spotted the drell sitting on the kitchen island, chatting with her parents as if they'd known each other for years. Alex groaned and turned on her heel, making a beeline for the car.

When she sat down in the passenger's seat, Alex took out her phone and dialed Natalie's number, to inform her friend of the current situation and that they would have a babysitter watching over them during their shopping trip. The line beeped twice before Natalie picked up the call.

 _"Alex,"_ she greeted, _"Why are you calling so early in the morning? Did something happen?"_

 _Hell yeah it did_ , thought Alex as she took a deep breath through her nose, glaring at the entrance of the mansion as if it was her worst enemy. "He slept here, Natalie," she whispered angrily before chewing on her lower lip.

 _"Ooh, you mean the sexy drell?"_ another person joined their conversation, and Alex furrowed her brows when she recognized Sarah's voice.

"You there too, Sarah?" wondered Alex, ignoring her jibe for now.

_"Yup, I slept here. We wanted to ask you yesterday if you wanted to join our little pajama party, but you stormed off before we could voice our thoughts."_

"Yes, I stormed off because I have a bloody babysitter watching over me," growled Alex as she watched the drell step out of the mansion, bowing his head in goodbye to her parents. God she so hated him!

"I don't know, Alex," started Sarah, the playfully serious tone in her voice obvious. "I mean, he is tall, has a deep, sexy voice. I didn't even know that drell had such a sexy voices."

Alex narrowed her eyes as she watched the drell getting closer to the car, shaking her head as if her friend could see her now. Sarah was already perving over the drell and they didn't have a clue as to who he was. "All I know is that he's a pain, and he's a drell. What am I supposed to do with a drell?" Krios opened the door and silently sat down on the driver's seat just before she finished her speech.

 _"Alex, have you even looked at him? That man is an Adonis!"_ continued Natalie without heeding Alex's warning to stop messing with her. _"I can think of a lot of things you can do with him. And a lot of places you can do them too-"_

Alex didn't want to hear the rest of the sentence so she hung up. The frustration boiling inside of her was ready to burst. She couldn't believe that her friends were doing this. Although Alex knew they were messing with her, she couldn't help but feel betrayed. They were supposed to hate the people she hated, not like them or encourage her to get romantically involved with them. Alex felt slightly disappointed but pushed the feeling into the back of her mind.

She inhaled deeply, preparing her mind for the oncoming conversation. The mere thought of talking to the drell was something she despised the most, but she needed to close her eyes and be done with it if she wanted to convince him that his presence wasn't desired during the shopping trip. She wanted to have a normal, fun and relaxing evening with her friends without him stalking her every step.

Taking another deep breath through her nose, she turned her head to face him, before she started the most irritating conversation of her life. "I have an appointment with my friends after the college classes are over." she said, hoping that he took the hint that his presence wasn't desired.

But when he smiled and answered, "It won't be a problem, Miss Adams." she grit her teeth in irritation.

Alex narrowed her eyes but somehow kept the polite smile on her face as she tried one more time to make him understand that he was a nuisance. "We have a shopping trip planned," she started with a forced laugh, "and I'm sure you have other, more important things to do than spending the evening with us."

The drell's lips stretched into an reassuring smile and he turned his gaze away from the road to her. "I assure you it won't be a burden, Miss Adams." before averting his gaze back to the road.

Alex suppressed the boiling rage and frustration inside of her as she stared at his profile, and she bit back the frustrated scream that threatened to escape her. Why did he have to be so stubborn and committed to the contract? He had no reason to be so devoted, and what made her even angrier was that she couldn't read his intentions. He was a bloody mystery to her, hidden well behind the trained mask of politeness and serenity.

She was slowly losing her patience and the day hadn't even started yet. "So you will actually come with us even though it's only the three of us?!"

He stopped the car when the traffic light turned red. Turning his body so he could face her properly, he looked her right in the eye as he explained, "The shopping center is a complex building with little cover which makes you an easy target. Attackers could swoop down from the roof or break in through every entrance." He turned back and kept his attention on the road. He was silent all the while until the light turned green, then he slowly drove away and added, "I take your safety very seriously, Miss Adams. So yes, I will come with you."

She blinked incredulously at his statement, and it took her a while to shut her mouth before she argued back. "I'm telling you, I am safe! Besides, they wouldn't dare attack me in a public place!"

"On the contrary," he countered. "That is what every kidnapper would do. They would wait for their victims to be distracted by their surroundings before they strike."

She shook her head and chuckled in resentment of the situation, before growling, "You are impossible."

"No, I am simply doing my job, Miss Adams," he answered which only served to fuel her anger. "I am payed to keep you safe, and that is what I intend to do."

"I said it once, and I'll say it again," spoke Alex through gritted teeth. Furrowing her brows even more, she bit out. "I'm in no danger of anyone! My parents are simply overreacting!"

"Your father assured me otherwise," he countered. Krios pushed her to the limits of self-control. He knew how to counter everything she said, and no matter how argumentative she was, he just wouldn't back down. Alex needed to keep her cool though if she wanted to have the slightest chance to convince him to mind his own business afterwards. She wouldn't live through the day if he came along with them.

She was desperate, and so was her idea when she said, "I'll pay you double whatever my father pays you."

She hoped that he was just after their money. If so, she was determined to pay him whatever it took just to get rid of him.

The drell smirked as he stated, "I doubt you could pay me such high sum of money." which only served to anger her further.

Taking out her checkbook and clicking the ballpoint pencil, she wanted to show him that she was serious about her offer and that she wouldn't shy away from paying any sum of money he desired. "I mean it; tell me whatever he payed you and I'll double it!"

The drell didn't heed her little speech and instead acted as if she hadn't said a word. Alex glared at the man's profile, her eyes narrowed and her mouth agape, waiting for him to name however much money he wanted. But her anger doubled, then redoubled, when she realized that the drell was completely ignoring her.

After several attempts to get his attention failed, she tried one last time to call him with a loud, "Hey! I'm talking to you!" The man was not realizing that he was standing on ice so thin it could break any second.

She didn't know what she said, but he stepped on the brake roughly causing her to drop the checkbook and the pen on the floor. Lifting her gaze from the floor, she was ready to yell at him, to slap him into next week for his incredulous behavior, but when she caught the deadly serious look on his face, all she could do was stare in wide-eyed shock at him.

His reaction took her completely by surprise. His black orbs were narrowed, his brows furrowed and his mouth slightly turned into a scowl. There was little else she could do other than stare at this newly discovered side of his.

"Miss Adams," he started, his raspy voice bearing a dangerous and threatening note. "Your parents are worried for your safety and they're doing everything to keep you safe. I'll do what I'm paid to do, which is to keep a watchful eye over you. I won't let you go into that mall alone whether you like it or not." He growled, holding her gaze for a moment longer before he looked away.

Alex stared at his profile, the fear that had started in her heart because of his sudden reaction slowly turning into had regarded her like a child. Why was he even bothering? The more she tried to find an answer to these questions, the angrier she became because of the lack of it. The drell was a mystery to her, and she hated it, especially if the mystery was a green-scaled drell that had just walked into her life and thought that he had a right to lecture the people he was working for.

Alex wouldn't endure his shit any longer, no matter how threatening he looked or sounded, she wouldn't let him talk to her like that. He was working for her family, not the other way around. She would teach him a lesson. Giving the drell one last angry glare, she pushed the door open and hurried out.

"Where are you going?!" he shouted as he got out of the car as well. Alex couldn't listen to his rambling any longer. He could go to hell for all she cared. "Miss Adams!"

"Go to hell!" she yelled before she glanced over her shoulder at him, and when she spotted him going after her she picked up her pace. Crossing her arms stubbornly in front of her chest, she ignored the curious glances thrown at her from the bystanders as she took the closest way to the university.

To her disappointment, he appeared next to her seconds later and Alex groaned in frustration, wishing that something happened that would kill either him or her, and relieve her of the ordeal her life had become. "Miss Adams, please-"

She stopped abruptly and spun around to face him, growling out an irritated, "What?" She was too angry to see the pleading look in his eyes, not that she would care even if she'd noticed it.

"You're going to be late," he reminded.

But Alex ignored him and started to walk again, her heels clicking on the road as she swiftly moved away from him and his infuriating presence. She wanted to be alone, she needed to be alone, but the drell just wouldn't let her have her space . "Miss Adams-" he called, only to be cut off when she spun around again.

"Why the hell are you doing this?! Why are you turning my life into a living hell?!" she shouted, ignoring the ever growing audience around them.

Krios was clearly uncomfortable, but instead of answering her questions, he calmly stated, "You forgot your bag in the car."

It took her a while to calm down, but when she did, she moved past him without even looking at him. Bloody bag! In the hurry to get out of the car, she forgot her bag on the rear seat. Shaking her head at her stupidity, she decided to grab the bag and take a cab to the university; there was no way in hell she would arrive there in time while tagging him along.

She reached her destination in record time before she pulled the rear door open, snatching the bag from the backseat. She slammed the door shut and turned to leave, but she bumped into a wall of solid flesh and looked up only to see the drell towering over her. His tall and solid frame blocked her escape like a brick wall and no matter how hard she tried, he wouldn't let her pass.

"Get out of my way!" she growled as she tried to move past him, but was stopped when he grabbed her by her upper arms. Never did he touch her before and the feeling of his strong grip made her feel uneasy. Her instincts kicked in and she shrugged out of his hold only to punch both fists into his chest, and he stepped back to give her her space.

"Stop being so damn annoying and go to hell!" Even though she didn't know him she knew from the way he struggled to keep his expression neutral that he was on edge. Alex knew how to irritate people, it was one of the many things she was really good at, and she was irritating him immensely. Good. Maybe if she irritated him more, he would realize that she wasn't worth the effort and leave.

"Miss Adams," he said calmly as he slowly erased the distance put between them, ignoring the sharp glare she was shooting at him. "You're going to be late."

She snorted bitterly before she bit out, "As if you care! The only thing you care about is my father's money!"

She hoped that the revelation would've shocked him, but he calmly shook his head and he assured her, "If I were after your money, I would've taken your offer. But I didn't."

All she could do for a while was blink in surprise at how well he talked himself out of the situation, but the sad truth was that he was right. If he was after easy money he would've just taken her offer and disappeared. But he hadn't and that was what annoyed her most.

Though she hated to admit it, but he was right; she was going to be late if he didn't drive her to the university. They wasted precious time here and Alex felt as though she chose the wrong time for this argument. There was no way she could find a cab in time, even if she did she would arrive when the classes already started. Whether she liked it or not, Krios was her only and fastest way to the university.

Shaking her head, she turned and entered the car without voicing a single word. Krios closed her door and she watched him from under her eyelashes as he moved around the car towards the other side. Moments later they drove off and she noticed that he was driving at a higher speed to get her to the university in time. An uncomfortable and tense silence followed the rest of the ride, and when they arrived at the university, Alex saw the classes had already started. The courtyard was empty and it was deadly silent.

"Bloody hell!" she bit out and she pushed open the doors as soon as Krios stopped the car. She hurried out and ran for the university's entrance. Of all the things that could have happened to her this morning, she just had to be late. Her frustration grew when she imagined the snickering she would be greeted with when she entered the classroom.

"Miss Adams!" she came to a halt when the drell's voice echoed in the silence around her. She hung her head a little and closed her eyes, took a deep, cleansing breath before releasing it slowly.

Quickly turning around, she shouted, "What?!" only to be met with his smirk which she could see even with this distance put between them.

"You forgot your bag," he stated, and Alex needed to find all her strength to suppress the need to punch him.

He just stood there like a dingus and smirked instead of bringing her the bag. She stomped her feet angrily into the stone road and groaned in frustration before she ran back to him. Without even looking up at him, she snatched the bag from his offered hand and ran back for the university's entrance, preparing herself for the most embarrassing encounter in her entire life.

####

"So Miss Adams finally decided to grace us with her presence," goaded her professor. Ignoring the professor with a roll of her eyes, she threw her bag on the desk and sat down with a sigh, blocking out the whispers that emerged as soon as she had stepped into the room.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Professor Alenko," started Alex, trying to sound as polite as possible as she ran a hand through her long, wavy hair. "I had a private matter to attend to."

Professor Alenko lowered his glasses and stared at her from underneath his eyelashes as he wondered, "I hope this private matter won't repeat itself again, yes?"

Alex suppressed the urge to groan in annoyance as she answered with a polite, "Yes, Professor, it won't happen again." holding his gaze for as long as necessary to show him that she wasn't the least bit intimidated.

Releasing a sharp breath, he dismissed the subject with a harsh, "Good." before he pushed himself off of his chair and went to the old school chalkboard to start the lesson. Even in the 22nd century, the old chalkboard was still in use; she couldn't decide whether that was amazing or miserable. Alex tried to focus on the lesson and to tame the anger that bubbled through her system, but all she could think of was the stupid drell sitting in the car now, waiting to take her home.

As the professor ventured on with his lesson, her mind drifted away and she couldn't help but wonder about Krios' fighting skills. To her, he seemed as though he had no fighting skills at all. Sure, he looked intimidating and dangerous, but that wouldn't help them if they stood in the face of danger. Alex needed to see for herself if he knew how to fight.

She was already plotting for ways that could give her at least a little insight on if the drell could fight. If so, she wanted to see how good his skills were. He was either completely useless, or he had skills that surpassed even the most talented fighters.

_"Psst… Alex."_

Alex rolled her eyes. She didn't want to talk to Sarah now because one answer would unleash a million more questions from her long time friend. There was no mean intention behind her questioning, but Alex didn't have the nerve to answer anything now, or for the rest of the day, though she knew the encounter with her friend was inevitable.

Something soft hit her head then and Alex sighed in frustration, knowing that Sarah was throwing paper balls at her to get her attention. Alex knew she would stop at nothing so it would be less annoying to deal with her now. When she turned she caught Sarah wanting to throw another tiny paper ball at her, but stopped her hand mid air.

Sending her a sharp look that advised her to stop throwing that paper ball at her, Alex turned back to at least force her focus on the things professor Alenko was writing on the chalkboard, but the effort was in vain.

Alex was sure that a few tiny paper balls were stuck in her hair and she made a mental note to force her friend to dig out every single one out from her blond hair if she wanted to live to see tomorrow.

A paper ball landed on her desk and Alex decided to read whatever was written in it. Her narrowed eyes scanned over the letters that said, _"What happened?"_ and she sighed in frustration before she decided to give Sarah the answer she so desired.

 _"I tried, but I couldn't stop Mister Babysitter from joining us on our shopping trip."_ She wrote down before straightening herself in her seat. The professor was turned with his back to them so Alex threw the note back. Natalie leaned closer to Sarah and read the note as well as Alex watched their reaction closely.

She didn't know what she expected, but she had thought that they would be at least a little angry or irritated. Sarah quickly wrote something down before she threw the note back to her. Alex opened it and scanned over the letters, _"So what?"_ it said. She blinked rapidly as her frustration grew. Her friends were supposed to hate him. Why couldn't they hate him?!

Quickly writing down, _"You should hate him, not be excited that he's joining us!"_ before she threw the note back to them and turned just before professor Alenko's eyes fell on her. _Phew._

Moments later she received Sarah's and Natalie's reply and Alex eagerly opened the note.

_"Then we can get to know him and see for ourselves if he's as bad as you say he is!"_

Alex shook her head at the note the message it contained, it's content only serving to anger her further. She threw the note into her bag and sent a sharp look to her friends before she focused on professor Alenko's lesson. Luckily, they decided not to distract her further and Alex could fully focus on the lesson, even though thoughts of the drell threatened to disturb her concentration.

Today's lessons finished quickly and Alex was among the first out of the university. She hurried out of the building like a hurricane and could already hear her friends calling for her to wait. All she could think was getting as fast and possible to the drell who sat under the oak tree. To her, he looked like as if he was meditating, and she could already feel embarrassment flooding through her. He looked like a complete and utter fool, sitting there under the tree as if he owned it.

She stopped right in front of him and glared down at him, her hands tightly clenched and a mean snarl narrowing her expression. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, but was met with his silence.

She watched him peacefully continuing his meditations as if she had never called for him. More and more people got out of the university, she could already feel their curious gazes burning her back as she tried a few more times to get his attention, but every attempt failed and Alex became more and more anxious.

When she asked again, he finally murmured a low, "Meditating," as answer before he slowly pushed himself up on his feet. He towered over her and she stared in open mouthed surprise at their height difference before she, a second later, shut her mouth.

Turning to look at the large oak tree, he informed, "It's peaceful and quiet here; a perfect place to meditate."

Alex rolled her eyes at his admission, and couldn't believe that the drell was even more boring than he first gave away. Whatever, she didn't want him sitting under the tree where everyone could witness his silly show.

She looked around, making sure that no one was within hearing distance before she turned to look at him. "Look, I would really appreciate if you would never meditate under that tree again. Ever," though her voice was low there was no appreciation in it.

Krios blinked both his eyelids and quickly glanced at the tree before he brought his questioning gaze back to her. Looking dumbfounded, he wondered, "Why?"

Her eyes widened further and her mouth dropped open. The nerve of him. Shutting her mouth and furrowing her brows together, she came a little closer to him and answered his question. "Because you don't need to embarrass me further!" she growled, trying her best to suppress her need to yell at him. Oh how she wanted to yell.

Krios remained eye contact with her when commented, "I suppose you are right, Miss Adams," leaving Alex completely clueless as to why he'd said that. She blinked twice and wanted to ask what he meant, but he finished without giving her the time to when he stated, "You are perfectly fine of embarrassing yourself without my assistance."

Alex furrowed her brows together as her wide eyes stared at him in shock. _He didn't just say that, did he?_ she wondered as red rimmed her vision. She wanted to rip his eyes out, to scream in frustration and to bomb him back to the stone age until he learned his lesson.

"Alex, don't you want to introduce us?" Alex froze and she took two hurried steps away from the drell when Sarah and Natalie appeared behind her, stopping her from doing exactly what was on her mind. Natalie only agreed with a nod and hummed an excited, "Mmhm," while both kept their curious eyes on Krios.

 _I'm so going to kill you_ , thought Alex as she forced a smile on her face before she introduced them. "Sarah, Natalie, this is Mister Krios. Krios, these are my friends Natalie and Sarah."

The drell stepped forward and bowed his head to them, "It is a pleasure to meet the both of you." he greeted politely before he straightened his spine, the courteous smile that Alex so wanted to slap away back on his features.

Sarah was the first to take his offered hand and gave it a firm, lingering shake as her wide brown eyes stared up at him as if he was the most shiny thing in the world. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Mister Krios," started Sarah, flickering her eyes towards Alex and smiling mischievously before adding, "Alex has told us so much about you."

 _I'm definitely going to kill you_ , thought Alex and forced a smile to her face as the drell turned to look at her.

Chuckling softly, he acknowledged her statement with an amused, "I'm sure she has," while moving his attention to Alex, his smile turning into a self-confident smirk. All she could do was roll her eyes in annoyance as she looked away from the man that annoyed her with his very presence.

"I hear you are accompanying us on our shopping tour?" asked Natalie, then Sarah started to giggle in amusement.

The drell nodded and answered with a smile. "Of course. I take Miss Adams safety very seriously."

"Well then," started Sarah as she and Natalie linked their hands with Alex's elbows, "Shall we, ladies and gentleman?" Without waiting for anyone to answer, the two almost dragged Alex towards the car. As soon as they drove off, the two girls started to bombard the drell with questions that he calmly and politely answered. At least she wouldn't have to keep talking.

Alex let out a long breath as she stared absently out the window, shutting out her mind from the conversation in the car. There were many times she wanted to jump out of the car, but decided it wasn't worth the effort. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself for the most annoying shopping trip ever.


	4. Chapter 4

The ride to the mall wasn't as horrible as Alex thought it would be. Alex told Sarah to take the paper balls out of her hair, which she did, admiring her golden hair all the while. The girls on the back seats didn't shy away from asking the drell whatever they could come up with, and Alex managed to learn a little about him just by listening to them. He didn't give away much of his past, which made Alex curious.

Questions and theories built themselves in her mind in hopes of getting a picture of him of his younger days, but every attempt failed. Mister Krios was a mystery she couldn't solve alone; she hated to admit that she needed his help to get a hint of the man behind the mask.

Instead of joining the conversation whenever she could, she decided to stay silent and was glad when the girls and Krios decided to leave her alone with her thoughts. Alex needed to cool down a little from everything that had happened this morning; from the embarrassing scene on the streets, to the embarrassing scene in the classroom. After everything though, she had managed not to bite off Krios's head and instead absently stared at the scenery outside.

After a half hour ride, they finally arrived at the parking lot in front of the mall and, as soon as Krios turned off the car, Sarah and Natalie stepped out. Alex unfastened her seat belt as quickly as possible and grabbed the handle to open the door, but stopped when the drell called out for her.

"Miss Adams?"

Releasing a long breath through her nose, she closed her eyes for a second before turning her head to look at him, her eyes narrowed. "What?" she bit out harshly, wanting to get away from him as soon as possible. Being this close to him threatened to invoke her anger again, and she didn't want to be angry while she spent the afternoon with her friends.

Krios's black orbs found hers, and for the first time she admired the beauty of his obsidian green eyes and the difference in their complexion. "Are you well?" he asked as his expression softened with worry.

Alex opened her mouth, wanting nothing else but to tell him to mind his own business, but shut her mouth before the words could leave it. She realized she was overreacting and, as much as she hated to admit it, she saw no harm in him asking if she was alright.

Her expression softened a little before she stated with a heavy sigh, "Yeah, I'm fine." looking away from him and towards the entrance of the mall.

Krios nodded and stepped out of the car without voicing another word. Alex rolled her eyes and stepped out as well, and was immediately greeted with Sarah's hurried calls to get inside.

The size of the mall and its interior always managed to amaze her, and this time wasn't any different. The floors were of the purest marble she had ever seen, and the walls were a striking, snow-white color. The stores were filled with designer pieces, be it furniture or clothes, that came from every corner of the galaxy. A small smile curled her lips as she inhaled deeply, but the smile faded a second later when she heard Sarah directing a question to Krios. The beauty of the mall almost made her forget that he was with them.

Mister Krios was hired to keep her safe, yet they didn't know anything about him that would prove his loyalty to the contract. Who said he wasn't one of the kidnappers and was only waiting for the right chance to slice her throat or, worse, to kidnap her again? Alex was highly suspicious of people she didn't know, it was something that ran in her blood and she couldn't switch it off. Everything about Krios made her suspicious of him and she once again wondered how her parents could talk to him as if he was a lifelong family friend. She couldn't wrap her head around it and doubted she ever would.

Though she was suspicious of him, he hadn't done anything to validate her suspicions. She started to wonder if she was only imagining the threat he posed to her and her family. Maybe she was only imagining things? Whatever the matter, Alex agreed that she would never trust him, but decided that he was not one of the kidnappers. It just didn't make any sense.

Instantly her mind flew to what had happened this morning in the car. The way he'd glared at her made her uneasy and slightly afraid of him. He didn't look like the polite and always-happy-to-help kind of guy; he looked like a killer, and that realization terrified her. She didn't know what he was capable of and that made her weary of him.

"Hey Alex," spoke Sarah as she materialized next to her. Trying her best to hide her nervousness, Alex looked at her friend as they stood in a small circle to debate where to go first.

Sarah's smile was that of excitement when she said, "I have a date tonight." and waggled her eyebrows.

Alex furrowed her brows as she looked at her friend, and remembered with who she had wanted to have a date with so desperately. "Did Steven finally agree?"

Sarah was a strange person when it came to dating people. She wouldn't wait until a guy she liked invited her out. Instead, she invited _them_ out. It always amazed Alex how the woman had the guts to ask a few of the most handsome men out. But what really shocked her was that it almost always succeeded. Six out of ten would agree, which was impressive.

The smile that unearthed on Sarah's features was plotting when she informed, "No, he actually invited me out."

"Of course he did," Natalie joined in with a sigh, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Poor man, I can't even count the times you asked him out."

Sarah rolled her eyes and waved her off. " _Pfft,_ you two are just jealous that you don't have the guts to ask a guy out." she stated, and Alex crossed her arms as well as she quirked a scolding eyebrow.

Shaking her head, Natalie corrected, "No. Why should we fight for a guys attention when they should earn ours?" and Alex could only agree to that with a nod.

Unconvinced of her statement, Sarah shook her head before she jabbed her index finger into both Natalie's and Alex's chest. "And that, my ladies, is the reason why you're still single."

Shaking her head, Natalie bore a scolding look into her friend as she retorted, "Yes, but we still have our dignity."

Sarah wanted to argue back, but Alex interrupted her with a smile on her face before the two started arguing. "Alright ladies, let's focus on finding a dress for Sarah, and some cool gothic accessories for you, Natalie."

The two were always picking on each other. Natalie couldn't stand Sarah's naivety and how she couldn't be bothered to take anything seriously, as if life itself was a huge adventure, and Sarah couldn't stand Natalie's realism and her sometimes too obvious pessimism. Somehow though, the two managed to stay friends despite everything they said to each other.

Sarah huffed, crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out to Natalie. Natalie just rolled her eyes, and Alex couldn't help but smile at their silly show. She looked around, trying to find a store with the best dresses displayed. As she did so, she caught the drell standing a few feet away from them, his eyes directed at her and a small smile planted on his lips.

Alex huffed and her smile fell when she quickly looked away. She didn't like the way he was looking at her, it unnerved her for a yet unknown reason. On the other hand, she had no idea why she even bothered. There was nothing new with the fact that men stared at her hungrily, she lived with it on a daily basis and she knew how to ignore them. What confused her though, was that Krios wasn't looking at her that way. He simply looked at her with a smile on his lips, there was no hunger or need hidden behind his eyes, no desire or lust.

Shaking her head to clear her mind of the thoughts, she spotted a store with the most elegant dresses. She called for her friends and when she received their attention, she pointed to the store with her head. Sarah let out an excited, "Yay," and she hurried towards the store, immediately dragging Natalie along. Alex chuckled at the display of Sarah pulling Natalie after her while having a firm hold on her wrist, and decided that she wouldn't let the drell's presence ruin the evening.

For all she cared at the moment, he could be the most wanted killer in the galaxy; if he had the guts to attack her, he was deadly wrong if he thought she would give up without putting up a fight. That was why she had Krav Maga training, to show who ever wanted to hurt her that they were messing with the wrong person.

Inhaling deeply before releasing the breath slowly, she quickly glanced behind her shoulder at the drell and saw him patiently waiting for her to lead the way. Without showing him to follow her, she turned around and went after Sarah and Natalie into the store. Krios could be here, but his presence had as little importance to her as the gossips that evolved around her, and she would show him exactly that.

 

####

 

The look in her eyes had changed countless times by now; it changed from weary and uncertain to determined and fearless since they'd stepped from the parking lot and into the mall. The weariness and tension that was radiating off of her was hard to ignore, but Thane pretended that he hadn't noticed anything. He could feel she was still weary and suspicious of him, but the look in her eyes became that of pure determination and strength.

Thane had to admit that Alexandra was a complex, impulsive, and sometimes very irrational person that, if something didn't go her way, would blame everyone and everything around her. She knew how to irritate people, knew how to get a rise out of them, yet also knew how to get what she wanted. She was a smart woman, cunning, perceptive and intimidating, and yet he felt as though he had only caught a glimpse of her personality. Thane couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her personality than she let on, and it instantly made him wonder if he would ever get to know all sides of her.

He stood near the entrance of the store and watched the three women browse through the many displayed outfits, trying his best not to disturb them. Her friends had questioned him about everything they could come up with on the way here, and he expertly maneuvered his way through their interrogation, carefully choosing how to answer each question. He had no intention of giving away anything of his past that could threaten his contract, so he kept most of the details of his youth out. He'd expected Alex to prod about who he was, but he quickly realized that she wasn't paying any attention to them.

He moved his eyes from her friends to Alex and watched as she looked at one dress after another. He'd never seen her so peaceful before, so calm and serene. The Alex he was looking at now didn't resemble the Alex from this morning one bit. But no matter if she was angry, infuriating, stubborn, yelling or pouting, she was always beautiful.

Alex was a beautiful and smart young woman that knew what she wanted, and Thane respected her for that. Alex wanted her privacy and her freedom, and she fought with every fiber of her being to live carelessly just as she had before he stepped into her life. As much as she irritated him, Thane would stand his ground against her and show her that she was in no way in danger of him or that he would threaten her privacy. He would make her see that she could trust him with her life.

He inhaled sharply when he realized he was losing himself in his thoughts. He needed to stay focused and keep a watchful eye over Alex without disturbing her privacy. Suddenly he was very grateful for his assassin training; he could take out anyone that threatened her, with minimal to no witnesses, within seconds. He shifted from foot to foot and cracked his knuckles as he scanned their surroundings, but quickly realized that there was nothing threatening her safety.

Thane once again averted his eyes to Alex and, for the first time, he allowed himself to admire the difference in their complexion. The first thing that caught his attention was her eyes. They were the most striking shade of blue he had ever seen, their color reminding him of the oceans on his homeworld, Kahje. They were beautiful, but a mere, striking look could silence whoever disagreed with her.

Her hair had to be the most beautiful hair Thane had ever seen. It flowed like a stream of gold down her shoulders until it reached her middle back, and resembled the softest and most shiny silk. Her skin reminded him of porcelain, flawless and smooth and pale. Thane didn't need to look twice to know that her arrogance was built around of her looks; she knew she was attractive and didn't shy away from showing it to anyone.

He tensed slightly when he felt the presence of someone else next to him, but relaxed when he realized it was Sarah. "Mister Krios?" turning his head around to face her, he offered the girl a warm smile that encouraged her to continue whatever she came here to ask. "I was wondering if you could help me?"

Thane blinked both his eyelids and turned to face her completely. "Certainly. How can I assist?"

Sarah smiled sheepishly and scratched an imagined itch on her chin before she found the courage to ask, "Well… this is a little embarrassing, but I was wondering if you could help me pick a dress for a date. I mean, you're a man, and... you know."

Thane's smile widened a little and he assured the girl with a nod before saying, "It would be my pleasure." Sarah let out a happy ' _yay'_ before she turned and went to the dressing rooms where Natalie was already waiting for her. He turned and locked his eyes on Alex, and he had to shake his head again to stop his thoughts from venturing.

He stopped next to her, but she was either ignoring him or she didn't acknowledge his presence. Whatever the matter, he cleared his throat to announce his presence and could immediately hear her sigh in frustration.

"Miss Adams?" he called softly, having no intention to irritate her further.

She bit out a harsh, "What?" without looking up at him from the dress she was holding in her hand.

Thane looked down on the dress and smiled; it was a red summer dress. It was knee length and had a thin brown leather belt around its waist. His smile widened as he stated, "That dress would suit your eye and hair color," and anticipated her reaction. He didn't know what came over him, but he wondered if maybe a different approach would not make her so upset.

Her expression tensed in what he guessed was concentration and for a second he thought she was going to buy the dress. Instead, she frowned and huffed before she returned the dress where she'd found it. She walked past him without looking up at him or acknowledging him in any way; it was as though he was transparent and Thane bit back a disappointed sigh. He couldn't do anything right by that woman.

"Miss Adams," he called for her again when he turned to follow her.

He almost bumped into her when she stopped abruptly and spun around, pointing her sharp eyes into him. "What now?" she demanded. He could see that his persistence was annoying her but there was nothing she could do other than accept it.

Thane blinked both his eyelids and decided to start it easy, hoping not to annoy her further. He couldn't deal with her overly dramatic attitude now; he'd had enough of it for one day. "Sarah has asked me to help her choose a dress."

Alex furrowed her brows and crossed her arms in front of her chest, her expression that of disinterest. "So? What does that have to do with me?"

He let out a long breath through his nose as he straightened his spine and set his shoulders for her inevitable dramatic reaction; she was going to make him say it. "I can't leave you alone, Miss Adams."

Alex let out a bitter laugh as she raised her brows in mock amusement. "Wait, you're kidding, right?" She pointed with her hand to the dressing rooms where Natalie and Sarah were waiting before she added, her attention on him. "They're right over there. Go help her out and leave me to look around." although sounding annoyed, there was no hostility in her voice, before she turned to browse through the clothes again.

Thane lowered his head a little and closed his eyes. Why did that woman always have to make everything more complicated than it already was? Why couldn't she, for at least once that day, work with him instead of against him? "I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Adams." he said when he lifted his head and directed his eyes at her.

She raised her head and inhaled deeply before she turned to face him, her expression stoic. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she blinked twice and gave him a pointed look when she asked, "So you honestly want to tell me that you can't leave me alone for five minutes and help my friends while I am here, only a few feet away?"

"Miss Adams-"

Without giving him the chance to finish, she cut off whatever he wanted to say with a dismissive, "I'll be here, Mister Krios." before she turned away from him, her attention on the many dresses displayed in front of her. "Go and help my friends. Nothing you say will change my mind, so you may as well leave."

Thane grit his teeth in annoyance and inhaled deeply. _Gods,_ that woman would be the end of him. He knew that there was nothing wrong with him leaving her alone for a few minutes, but she didn't understand that in such a short span of time everything could go wrong. These mere few seconds could be all the kidnappers need to kidnap her again. But he also knew that there was no force in the galaxy that could convince her to follow him to the dressing rooms where Sarah eagerly waited for him.

He hung his head for a second and, with a heavy heart, he decided to agree on her request. "As you wish, Miss Adams." he said, and could almost feel the relief rolling off of her. Taking a step back from her, he assured politely, "I'll be back in a minute." before he turned and took a hurried step towards the dressing rooms.

When he arrived, Sarah was already inside trying out the first dress while Natalie waited outside. Thane felt even more on edge than he thought he would as he kept a watchful eye over the perimeter, and Alex. Whenever he looked away from her, he feared that that split second would be enough for her to disappear. Alex was a smart and beautiful woman, that he knew and it was no use denying it, but Gods her temper and stubbornness were driving him insane.

With a heavy sigh, he turned his attention to the curtain being pushed aside before Sarah stepped out, wearing a yellow, knee length dress with a yellow rose attached to its waist. Thane nodded, showing the brown haired woman that he committed the dress to memory, giving Sarah the green light to try on the other dress.

Smiling as Sarah went back behind the curtain, Thane used that moment to glance at Alex, and it was good that he did because a moment later and she could be in danger. His smile immediately fell and his shoulders tensed while he watched her talk to a man that was breaching her privacy, and even from here he could see that she was uncomfortable because of the unknown figure.

Thane dismissed every thought from his mind and hurried towards her without peeling his eyes from the unknown man, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He would make sure that Alex was safe; it was his job and responsibility after all.

 

####

 

Letting out a breath of relief, Alex enjoyed the solitude as a small smile curled her lips. She didn't even realize just how much she'd missed being alone, without the drell somewhere close by. She had put up a fight and she'd won. A feeling of satisfaction spread through her at the thought that she'd actually won a debate against the drell.

But it also made her wonder why he accepted defeat so easily. He was usually much more committed to the contract, and giving up was something she thought he would never practice. Yet he did and Alex had to say that she was grateful for that.

She had meant to buy the red dress she held in her hands earlier; it was cute yet sexy, exactly the combination she was looking for. But that had been before the drell suggested that the dress would suit her, so she'd put it back without a second thought. She didn't want to buy something he said would suit her; she didn't want him to think that she had started listening to him.

Smiling, she kept looking out for another dress similar to the red one when suddenly someone placed their hand on her shoulder. Whipping around startled, she thought she would face Krios, but her heart fell with dread when she spotted a very familiar figure, one that she did not want to see ever again.

"Sam," she breathed out nervously, feeling the frustration and irritation from before creep back in. Sam took a step in her direction to which Alex took a step backwards, immediately earning Sam's slightly insulted look.

Sam was her ex. They had split up in a very ugly way and she avoided him as best she could because from what Natalie had told her, he was still madly in love with her, which wasn't good. Sam was a very jealous and possessive man, it was the reason why she had broken up with him.

Sam forced a creepy smile onto his face as he took another step in her direction, forcing Alex to step back again. Everything about their proximity unnerved her, she was intimidated by his height and the plastered smile on his face that looked anything but heartwarming. "Alex, it's been a while," he said, the smile widening a little. "I missed you."

"What the hell do you want?" she bit out. "I thought I made it clear that I don't want to talk to you, **ever** again." He kept walking towards her until her back hit the shelf behind her, cornering her and leaving no way to escape from him. Sam reached his hand out and tried to take hers, but she snatched hers away. From the way Sam's expression narrowed, she knew she was in trouble.

"Miss Adams?" her head shot in direction of the drell's voice. He was standing beside them, his hands at his sides and his attention on her. Alex felt relief flooding through her, the tension from a mere second ago forgotten.

Krios gave Sam a quick once over before he returned his obsidian eyes to her, and Alex felt a strange feeling knoting her stomach when they looked into hers. "Is everything alright?" he asked, and for the first time she admitted that she was relieved to see him.

She opened her mouth to answer, but Sam was faster when he took an offensive step toward Krios. "Get lost, frog-boy," Sam bit out, his eyes shooting daggers at Thane. "This is none of your business."

Krios turned his head slowly toward Sam, his voice calm and controlled when he stated, "On the contrary. Miss Adams' safety is my responsibility, and you are threatening her safety."

A scoff sounded from Sam as he took another step towards the drell, and Alex's eyes shot from her ex to Krios. It was then she noticed that his shoulders were tense, his spine straight and his expression deadly serious just as it had been this morning. Nervous sparks ran up her spine as she both anticipated and feared what could happen next. Sam had always been stubborn and overly jealous, but from the drell's expression she could guess that he wouldn't back down no matter what. Alex felt adrenaline rushing through her veins as she waited for any one of them to make a move.

Feeling the growing audience around them Alex tried to talk her ex out of any stupidity that had come to his mind. "Sam, what do you want?" she asked, now boring her narrowed eyes into him.

Sam kept his eyes on Krios when he answered, "I want to talk to you without being interrupted by frog-boy."

"There's nothing we need to talk about," she knew that being a smartass now was only making the situation worse, but all she wanted was to spit the words into his face.

Sam's head shot up and fear bolted through her when she saw the anger and insult swirling in his handsome green eyes that were filled with a slight note of madness. Alex was waging through dangerous water, but she couldn't shut her mouth even if she wanted to; it was both a blessing and a curse.

"We're done for good. Now stop pestering me and go to hell," she stated, and it was exactly what sent Sam over the edge.

He moved in her direction, ready to lash out at her and, from the look in his eyes, he would even use violence to get the chance to talk to her. However, he was held in place when Krios's arm shot up in front of Sam's chest, stopping his further approach.

Sam tried to shove his arm away, but was only pushed back a few steps, enough to put some space between them. Sam's eyes widened with outrage and Alex could hear her heart thudding wildly against her ear drums. It amazed her how Krios stood between her and Sam, blocking her ex with all his might, but she was afraid of what Sam might do. After all, she had no idea if the drell knew how to defend himself. She didn't want to be the one pulling his ass out of danger.

Sam grit his teeth and clenched his hands into fists when he glared at Krios who was now standing in front of Alex, blocking her from his view. "I told you to get lost frog-boy!"

A heavy and thick silence fell between them, and Alex kept her wide eyes on Thane, who stood defensively in front of her. He bravely defended her against Sam and she couldn't help but feel thrilled and excited. She shouldn't feel like that, not in a situation such as this, but she'd been trying to come up with a way to see Krios's fighting skills the entire morning. Now she had her chance, and she wasn't going to miss it.

"Alex," Sam growled, his deadly eyes directed at Krios. "Tell your lapdog to get out of my way or he will regret it."

Shaking her head, she was sure to maintain eye contact with him as she confessed, "The only nuisance here is you. Go to hell Sam, and leave me alone."

It was exactly the wrong thing to say. "You arrogant bitch!" he said when he took a step towards her, then another, getting dangerously close to the drell. Sam raised his arm and tried to reach Alex over Krios's shoulder when he shouted, "How dare you-" but he never got the chance to finish or to even touch her.

Krios grabbed his arm, twisted it painfully at his back before he pushed Sam on his knees in front of her. Alex blinked rapidly as she tried to understand what had just happened in these mere few seconds.

Krios had no problem holding him in place even though her ex struggled roughly against his hold. She lifted her eyes from Sam to Krios. The expression on his face was the same as before, tense with concentration.

He yanked Sam's hand roughly causing him to yelp in pain when Krios spoke, demanding, "Apologize to her."

Alex stared at the drell, her mouth hung open and her eyes wide in disbelief as she tried to comprehend if he had really just said that. She knew he had when he yanked Sam's hand again, this time more roughly than before when he demanded again, "I said apologize to her!"

"Alex I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Sam pleaded in pain as Krios held him in place. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she could feel Sarah's and Natalie's presence as both asked her if she was alright, but Alex was too enraptured in the sight of Krios forcing her ex to say exactly what he wanted that she couldn't peel her attention from the thrilling scene unfolding in front of her.

Krios leaned down a bit and his mouth came closer to Sam's ear when he demanded again, "You are going to respect Miss Adams' wish and stay out of her life. Understood?" Sam was silent and stared angrily at her, but when Krios growled a much louder, "Am I understood?!" Sam nodded hastily in agreement as he yelped in pain.

Krios stepped away and released his hold on her ex, when Sam realized he was free he ran for the entrance of the store and out of the mall. Alex watched him all the while he ran away like the coward he was, and when he was out of her line of sight she returned her eyes to Krios, only to see him standing in front of her as if nothing had happened. His calm and peaceful demeanor came back and she couldn't believe just how well he controlled his emotions.

"That asshole," growled Natalie when she stood on Alex's right, placing a hand on her upper arm. "You alright?"

Alex somehow managed to peel her eyes from Krios and looked at both her friends. Both were worried and shocked, and when Sarah suggested, "Maybe we should head home?" it was only to irritate Alex. Her ex had created a scene, so what? She wasn't going to let that scene ruin their shopping trip.

Alex stepped up between them and bore her irritated gaze into the both of them. "No, I won't let Sam's show ruin the rest of the evening. We are here to shop, and that's exactly what we're going to do."

Turning around, she was met with Krios's eyes and a strange feeling knotted her stomach again. Concern shone brightly in his black eyes, but Alex looked away before she could identify the other emotions swirling in them. Alex tried to beat down her excitement over the situation, the rush of adrenaline when Krios moved and stopped Sam from reaching her, and she wanted to beat down her anger because Sam's little escapade ruined the overall mood, even hers. She didn't want that, so she pretended for the rest of the evening as though nothing had happened.

But the further the evening progressed, she became more and more annoyed by the constant tension that was hovering over them. When, after hours spent in the mall, Alex finally declared that they should head home, all were visibly much more relaxed.

 

####

 

The scene when Krios pushed Sam on his knees before her didn't leave her mind. Even now, as he was driving her home, she couldn't stop thinking just how fast and precise his movements had been. She never would've thought that he was so fast, so strong to keep a huge man such as Sam in place without much effort. Nothing about Krios said that he knew how to defend himself, but today's show proved the exact opposite.

Krios was dangerous, threatening, he showed that whenever his expression tensed with concentration. His eyes would narrow and a dangerous gleam would shine in them, telling whoever dared to mess with him that they should mind their own business. His body would appear relaxed, but Alex could guess that his every muscle was tense in anticipation. His body would become a weapon to fight whatever threatened her, and that thought made her extremely weary of him.

They dropped Natalie off at her home, it would take them an hour to reach her mansion, and that was reason enough for her to be annoyed. After everything she'd witnessed today, she didn't want to spend so much time with him alone trapped in a car. Seeing that other, more dangerous side of him somehow made her even more edgy around him than she already was.

Still, she would be a liar if she said that she wasn't grateful for keeping Sam away from her. She had hand-to-hand combat knowledge, enough to put Sam in his place, but she didn't want to touch him. The mere thought of having to touch him or punch him was icky, and for the first time since she'd known the drell, she was grateful that he was around.

Slowly turning her head in his direction, she took in the differences in their complexion while he was focused on the road. Her eyes wandered over to the rosy flesh of his frills, down to his muscular and thick neck, then back up to his lips and nose before they rested on his black eyes. Drell were a rare species rarely seen beyond hanar territory, but were without a doubt a beautiful species. Their scales were always a beautiful vibrant color adorned with dark lines that resembled tattoos.

As she silently admired the difference of their species, she couldn't help but feel curious about Krios and his fighting skills. Krios had proved today that he could fight and Alex found herself succumbing more and more to her curiosity, until she finally gave in.

Returning her attention in front of her, she asked, "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

She waited and waited, but his silence was the only thing she got as answer. Turning her head to bore her narrowed eyes into him, he caught her gaze for a split second and shifted uncomfortably in his seat before he answered a disappointing, "It's a long story; one that I would rather not talk about."

His statement did nothing to sate the curiosity that only grew with his admission. "So you can know everything about me, but I can't learn anything about you?" she inquired, letting the annoyance reflect in her voice.

The drell shifted his grip on the steering wheel as he answered, "I don't know everything about you. I only know what I need in order to protect you." his gaze distant and focused on the road.

"Which is a whole lot," she stated, crossing her arms stubbornly across her chest. "I don't want to hear your life story; I just want to know where you learned to fight like that. You're obviously a pro at what you do."

His brows furrowed only a little and he kept his focus on the road as he answered with a harsh, "Telling you how I learned my skills _is_ my life story."

If he thought she would stop now then he was terribly mistaken. Alex had the patience and stubbornness to question him to death if the need should arise, only to get the answers she so longed for.

He let out a heavy sigh and gripped the steering wheel a little harder while she shamelessly stared at his profile. Alex could feel and see just how tense and uncomfortable he was because of her questioning, and she had to fight the smirk that would otherwise appear at her success of getting under his skin. When it took him long enough to reply to her question, she stubbornly said, "So?" before the silence stretched again.

Her lips thinned with irritation and her finger tapped on her upper arm as she waited for his answer, but received none. The drell was ignoring her, again, and Alex had to suppress her frustration over his stubbornness.

The drell stopped the car when they reached the red traffic light near a crossroad. Alex anticipated his reaction and was already scheming plans as to how to get the answers from him. When he lowered his head a little and his hands into his lap, she couldn't help but feel guilty. He looked so vulnerable like this, so sad that it tore at her heart.

She narrowed her eyes and ignored the small voice in the back of her mind that told her to stop pushing the subject because he obviously wasn't comfortable talking about it. The drell sat there, unmoving and silent, and when the light turned green, he drove off without voicing a single word.

Just as she was about to voice her displeasure over his silence and ignorance, he spoke before her without looking at her. "My past is something I do not wish to discuss, Miss Adams. I would appreciate if you accept it." His voice sounded calm, but the undertones of his raspy voice bore a pain that showed just how much he wished to drop the subject.

Despite the fact that he was begging her to drop the subject, Alex couldn't just accept his lame excuse. Trust was an important factor in her life, she needed to know the people around her before she could trust them. How could he expect her to trust him when he expertly blocked every question directed at him? No, Alex couldn't trust him, not until she at least had a vague image of him. "And I am supposed to trust you? A total stranger?!"

"Yes," he answered without a fraction of a doubt. "I assure you, Miss Adams, that my only concern is your safety and nothing else."

"Why?" she bit out, earning his confused gaze.

"Why what?"

"Why are you so concerned about my safety?!" something didn't feel right. Alex could smell lies or half-truths from miles away, and this half-truth was sickening her and making her angrier by the minute. He had to stop this little game because she couldn't believe that he would put his life on the line for her without a fraction of a doubt. She needed to know him to be able to trust him, otherwise they would play this dance over and over.

The drell kept his expression neutral as he answered, "Because your father hired me. It is my responsibility to keep you safe."

Alex ground her teeth and looked away, her patience slipping away. These short and well thought answers only served to piss her off, and if he didn't supply her with real answers soon she would get out of the car and go home alone.

"I can't trust a person I don't know," she stated stubbornly, her voice bearing a warning edge. She hoped he would see that her patience was at its end, but from the stubborn set to his jaw she knew he was everything but convinced.

"You will have to learn to trust me, Miss Adams," he said, his voice calm and soothing, as if he was talking to a child. Turning to look at her, his expression was sympathetic as he added, "I know it's hard for you, I understand. But I assure you that your life is in good hands and that nothing will happen to you."

There was nothing Alex could do other than stare at the drell that metaphorically pledged to protect her with his life. Something about the way he spoke to her made her actually feel safe and protected for the first time since she met him. Still, the little seed of doubt was already planted in her heart. She would learn to trust him, but she needed to know the man behind the mask he carried every day. Only then would she learn to trust him blindly.


End file.
